Yahoo Autos Hyundai's Upcoming Hot Hatch Could Pack 275 Horsepower
We've known for a while that Hyundai's N division is working on a hot hatch. Not only has Hyundai already said the i30 N is happening, it's also shown off a wild hatchback concept (shown above) and been spotted testing at the Nurburgring. But so far, Hyundai's been able to keep the exact specs a secret. Until now.
Australia's Car Advice claims to have discovered a presentation containing the i30 N's performance specs. The intel says the i30 N will make 250 horsepower in regular form, but will borrow a page out of the VW GTI's playbook, offering an optional performance package that bumps up output to 275 horsepower, with sportier suspension tuning.
Enthusiasts will also be excited to hear that the i30 N will reportedly launch with a six-speed manual transmission-a dual-clutch automatic becoming available later. The report also claims both versions will get an electronically controlled limited slip differential.
Currently, there are no plans to bring the i30 N to the U.S., but the recently-revealed Hyundai Elantra GT Sport is essentially America's i30. Between what we've heard from Albert Biermann, Hyundai's head of product development, and spy shots of a sportier Elantra GT published by Automotive News, we believe an Elantra GT N (Elantra N?) is up next.
And while the horsepower numbers claimed by Car Advice can't be substantiated yet, they do make sense. Hyundai has positioned the i30 N as a competitor to the VW GTI or Ford Focus ST. Biermann even went so far as to claim that a Focus RS competitor would be too fast for Hyundai's current customers.
That sounds like a good call to us. We do love the Focus RS, but it's probably smarter for Hyundai to take on the likes of the Focus ST and Volkswagen GTI first. And from the sound of it, Hyundai's headed in that direction.
You Might Also Like
